Assassin's Creed Shadows - Claws of Awaji Review Summary

Enjoyable gameplay experience: Many players found the gameplay to be fun and enjoyable. The gameplay mechanics, along with the visuals and new weapons, contributed to an overall positive experience.

New weapons and moves: The new weapons, particularly the long staff (Bo staff), were found to be fun and powerful. Players enjoyed the fresh and practical additions to the gameplay.

Engaging boss battles: The boss battles were highlighted as interesting, unique, and challenging. Players appreciated the well-made and enjoyable nature of these encounters.

Story continuation and completion: The DLC provided a direct continuation of the protagonist's story, completing the game's narrative. Players appreciated the story feeling complete and well-integrated.

Well-made DLC content: The DLC was appreciated for being well-made and wrapping up the story effectively. Players enjoyed the overall content and found it to be a good addition to the game.

DLC pricing and quality issues: Players frequently complain about the high price of the DLC, stating it is overpriced and not worth the cost. Additionally, many mention that the DLC is short, of poor quality, and sometimes even unplayable due to various issues.

Access issues with DLC: Many players report difficulties accessing the DLC despite meeting all requirements and completing necessary prerequisites. Issues include the DLC not launching, installation problems, and missing quests or NPCs needed to start the DLC.

Poor narrative and storytelling: The story and narrative of the game are criticized for being poorly written, weak, and disappointing. Players find the storyline mediocre and uninteresting, with some mentioning that the plot points are stupid and the overall narrative is lazy.

Boring and repetitive gameplay: The gameplay is criticized for being boring, repetitive, and uninteresting. Boss fights are particularly mentioned as being dull and unbalanced.

Game crashing and performance issues: The game is reported to crash frequently, with players experiencing non-stop crashing and various performance issues. These problems significantly hinder the ability to play the game smoothly.

Frequent enemy ambushes: Enemies frequently ambush the player, using disguises and traps, which adds to the game's difficulty and unpredictability.

Diverse gameplay and missions: The game offers a variety of gameplay tasks and mission types, providing diverse playstyles and experiences.

Exploration and traps: The game includes challenging exploration with various traps and hidden dangers, making navigation more engaging and difficult.

Stealth and combat mechanics: The game introduces new combat mechanics, including stealth-focused missions and the stance mechanic for weapons.

Linear and continued story: The storyline is more linear and serves as a direct continuation of the original game's story.

Frequent game crashes: The game experiences frequent crashes across various scenarios, including during missions, cutscenes, and CG scenes. This issue is widespread and affects the overall gameplay experience.

Bugs and technical issues: Players report encountering various bugs and technical issues, ranging from minor bugs to progression-stopping bugs. These issues are found in different parts of the game, including the DLC.

Specific crashing scenarios: The game crashes during specific scenarios such as loading into cutscenes, during the finale, and at a particular time (8 PM). These crashes are less frequent but still notable.

Save data and file errors: Some players have reported losing save data and encountering file system errors, which can significantly disrupt the gaming experience and cause frustration.

Controller and mouse issues: There are reports of poor controller handling and mouse functionality issues, which can affect the ease of playing and overall user experience.

Wait for a sale: Many players suggest waiting for a sale before purchasing the game or its DLC, indicating a perception of better value at a discounted price.

Recommended for fans: The game and its DLC are recommended for those who enjoyed the main game or are fans of the series, suggesting it appeals more to existing fans.

Avoid the DLC: Several reviews advise against buying the DLC due to unresolved issues or dissatisfaction, indicating potential quality or content concerns.

Mixed feelings on pricing: Opinions on the game's pricing are mixed, with some finding it worth the price and others suggesting it is not, reflecting divided views on its value.

Focus on main storyline: New players are advised to focus on the main storyline first, implying that the main game's content is substantial and engaging.

Community fair range: $30.00 - $40.00.

Game completion: 10.0h.

Story completion: 3.5h.

Session length: 2.0h.

The game is perceived as dull and repetitive from the beginning, with no significant improvement in fun over time.

Friction: repetitive missions; tedious parts; boring content.

Loyal Fan: Exploration and completion of content similar to the base game. Motivation: Continuation of the base game experience. Stance: sale.

Completionist: Grinding and repetitive tasks to complete all content. Motivation: Achieving 100% completion and unlocking all achievements. Stance: deep sale.

Story Critic: Engaging with the story and evaluating the quality of writing and design. Motivation: Seeking a well-crafted narrative and meaningful content. Stance: no buy.

Steam Deck: The analysis of user feedback reveals significant issues with the Ubisoft Connect launcher, frequent game crashes, and progress-blocking bugs. These issues severely impact the user experience, making the game difficult to play and enjoy.

Monetization: The user feedback for the 'Claws of Awaji' DLC of Assassin's Creed Shadows indicates significant dissatisfaction with the value for money, technical issues, and customer loyalty. Many users feel that the DLC is overpriced for the content provided, and several report technical problems that prevent them from accessing the DLC. Additionally, there is a notable impact on customer loyalty, with users expressing reluctance to purchase future DLCs. The length of the content is also criticized as being too short.

DLC received with reservation: Players who reserved the game received the DLC for free as a bonus.